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PALMETTO, Ga. - Palmetto police want to put a man with distinctive tattoos of a star and tear drops on his face behind bars before he strikes again.
“If I'd have saw him, I probably would have seen that, this and this,” said Albert Gates, the uncle of the victim as he pointed to the various tattoos on the Georgia Bureau of Investigation composite drawing of the intruder.
Gates said he wants the man arrested after his nephew, who lives next door, was tied up and beaten during a violent home invasion.
“He’s going to be OK. He hasn’t stayed here since that happened,” said Gates
It happened early last Thursday morning. Palmetto police said the tattooed intruder was the only one who showed his face.
They released this GBI composite, drawn from the victim's memory of the terrifying ordeal
“He’s distinctly marked. It’s possible that’s gang related, we don’t know at this time, we’re just looking for the public’s assistance in identifying him,” said Chief Randy Mundy of the Palmetto Police Department.
The victim, who did not want to go on camera, allowed me to snap some pictures of his home, every room in disarray after being ransacked.
He told police three other men, all wearing masks accompanied the tattooed man who did all the talking.
Police said the victim was tied up and placed in the bathtub at gunpoint while the men tore apart his house, leaving empty handed.
“We’re not willing to release what we believe to be the motive just yet as we believe it would endanger the integrity of the investigation,” said Chief Mundy.
Palmetto police aren’t sure if the attackers fled on foot or in a vehicle.
They’re hoping a $2,000 crime stoppers reward will lead to tips then to an arrest of the man with tattoos and the others.
“We don’t want to see a repeat of this, the quicker we get these individuals into custody the better all of us are going to feel in Palmetto,” said Chief Mundy.
Anyone with information on the case is asked to contact the Palmetto Police Department or Crime Stoppers at 404-577-TIPS.
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